Chapter 31 Ties That Bind

• Naomi's POV
• The studio was filled with the hypnotic rhythm of charcoal scratching against canvas, which drowned out the confusion racing through my head. As I worked, my trembling hands smudged the lines I attempted to get just right. I hurled the stick of charcoal onto the table, its clatter resonating in the quiet as frustration boiled to the surface.
• Leaning back, I gazed at the incomplete piece before me. The intense strokes of black and crimson seemed to taunt me, mirroring the raging storm within my emotions.